One of two ancient highways joining Mesopotamia in the north with Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula in the south. Traversing TransJordan, it ran from the Gulf of Aqabah in the south to Damascus in Syria in the north, with a fork that crossed the Sinai to Egypt and another running east into the Hejaz. The modern highway from Petra to Amman and the north follows the ancient route. Israel's journey from Egypt to the Promised Land proceeded for a while along the King's Highway (Num 20:17 & 21:22); so if you have travelled from Amman to visit Petra you would have shared something in common with the anciet Israelites, seeing the same stretches of scenary as they did.
Num 20:17 — Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: ". . . Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king's highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory."
Num 21:22 — Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites: "Let us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king's highway until we have passed through your territory."
Further Reading:
G. P. James, The King's Highway. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2004.
©ALBERITH